Medical entrance tests : Negative marking issue

Entrance test: SC moved against LHC verdict
Lahore, Sept 24: A constitutional petition has been filed with the
Supreme Court challenging decision of the LHC wherein the University of
Health Science's criterion for medical entrance tests was set aside, but
no verdict was given on negative marking or eligibility to take test of
such candidates who had earlier participated in tests.

The
appeal was filed by a medical student, Hadia Hasan, through Advocate
Nasir Mahmood Qureshi contending that the LHC failed to understand and
decide questions of law in its true perspective.

The counsel
said though the LHC bench held that regulations of Pakistan Medical and
Dental Council were binding upon all medical institutions, the question
of law qua applicability of "negative marking" was not decided.

He said whether by not even touching the question of negative marking
in entire impugned judgment, the LHC bench had not failed to decide
question of law which had resulted in miscarriage of justice and whether
this question of law should not have been decided alongwith its legal
effects?

He further said the impugned judgment of high court
was a non-speaking judgment to the extent of legal and fundamental
rights of the petitioner.

Advocate Qureshi stated that the PMDC
regulations being binding upon all medical colleges must be adhered to
in letter and spirit without exception.

The impugned medical
entrance test, having been conducted in violation of PMDC rules was
liable to be set aside and same should have been ordered to be held
afresh in strict compliance with PMDC rules.

The authorities
should not have been allowed to take benefit of their own wrongdoings,
he said and added that the impugned judgment was not clear to this
extent as to whether the petitioner was at liberty to participate in
fresh medical entrance test, which was to be conducted under directions
of the LHC. The petitioner, therefore, has prayed to the SC to grant
leave against the impugned judgment of LHC and after conversion of this
petition into an appeal, the same may be accepted and entrance test held
on July 20, 2010 in violation of PMDC regulations may kindly be
declared to be void ab-initio to the extent of the petitioner.

He said the respondents be directed to arrange fresh entrance test in
accordance with PMDC regulations, enabling the petitioner to participate
in it.

He further prayed that question of law pertaining to
negative marking may also be decided to hold whether negative marking
was mandated by PMDC. Dawn

"PMDC's rules should be followed from the next year. If they are followed this year, it would be unjust because students must have been informed about it at least one year before.By the way, it will be an uphill task for UHS to follow PMDC's rules to the letter this year."
Name: Muhammad Zunnoorain Rae
Email: zunuran@gmail.com
City, Country: Layyah, Pakistan

Varsity teachers' token protest
Lahore: All public sector universities' faculty members on
Thursday observed one-hour token academic boycott on the call of the
Federation of All Pakistan Universities Academic Staff Associations
(FAPUASA) and reiterated their demand the government should bridge the
financial cut made in the federal budget in June this year.

FAPUASA president Prof Dr Mahr Saeed Akhtar said the
federation appreciated the prime minister's special committee for
pledging release of additional recurring grant for the 50 per cent
increase in salaries and 15 per cent medical allowance to employees of
all public sector varsities in the country.

He said the
government had also agreed that all foreign and local scholars would be
funded till the completion of their studies.

Prof Akhtar said
the federation executive body would hold meeting in Islamabad on Friday
(today) and finalise future course of action. He said the government
needed to give at least Rs10 billion to the varsities. Dawn

KEMU exam schedule revised
Lahore: The Deans Committee of King Edward Medical University has
revised the schedule of examination of all professionals of MBBS during
2010 due to flood because 30 percent of the university students belong
to flood-affected areas.

The committee took the decision on Thursday
during a meeting held under the chairmanship of KEMU Vice-Chancellor
Prof Asad Aslam Khan and it was attended by Prof Muhammad Akram, Prof
Azhar Hameed, Prof Maaz Ahmad and Prof Imtiaz Akhtar Bajwa, Controller
of Examinations, attended the meeting.

According to the revised
date-sheet, First Professional Part-I will be held on November 22, First
Professional Part-II on December 6, Second Professional on November 23,
Third Professional on December 7 and Final Professional will start from
December 30, 2010. The date-sheet for practical exam and viva will be
announced later.

Petition against fake varsities
Lahore: The Lahore High Court on Thursday directed Barrister Javed Iqbal Jaffrey to
get ads published in newspapers to serve notices on 40 alleged fake
universities which had been made respondents in his petition against
unrecognised colleges and universities functioning in Punjab. Justice
Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry adjourned further hearing on the petition till Oct
15. Barrister Jaffrey in his petition had challenged the mushroom growth
of fake educational institutions and sought court's direction for
government to close all the fake and unrecognised colleges and
universities. The news